CARSON, Calif. -- Chivas USA benefited from an own goal by Seattle and beat the Sounders 2-0 on Saturday night.

Seattle defender James Riley put the ball into his own net in the 32nd minute, and Chivas' Chukwudi Chijindu scored his first career goal in the 84th minute to seal the win in a match that drew 15,463 to the Home Depot Center.

"Chivas is a good team, they're a solid team," Sounders FC head coach Sigi Schmid said. "I thought it was a very physical game, and I thought the referee allowed it to be played physically … but they're a good passing team, they don't make many positional errors, and they were pretty solid defensively."

Each side was missing a player due to suspension. Chivas midfielder Paulo Nagamura and Seattle goalkeeper Kasey Keller picked up red cards in their rsepective matches last week and each served automatic one-match penalties.

Chivas (4-0-1) extended its lead over Seattle (3-2-0) to four points atop the Western Conference, and became the first team in MLS to have double digits in the standings.

Seattle nearly went ahead early, though. In the 10th minute, Fredy Montero broke free on Chivas' penalty area and placed a soft, high-arcing shot on goal. The ball sailed over Chivas goalkeeper Zach Thornton's head but went harmlessly wide of the goal.

"Obviously, he saw Zach [Thornton] come off the line, he thought he could chip him and he did chip him, but he put the ball wide," Schmid said. "At that moment in the game, where if we have a chance to go up 1-0, it changes the entire complexion of the game."

Chivas finally broke the scoreless deadlock in the 32nd minute. Jonathan Borntstein sliced through Seattle's defense and centered a pass to the front of the goal. Riley slid and knocked his clearance attempt into his own net.

" I made the decision to stay and not come out for that ball, it got put back in and that's a tough ball to defend," said Sounders goalkeeper Chris Eylander, who filled in for Keller. "When the ball is on the line like that, about 12-14 yards out, and it's being cut back it's difficult to defend. Everyone's running back onto it, the forwards and defenders."

Chijindu scored with 6 minutes remaining when he slid and redirected a pass from Bojan Stepanovic into the back of the goal.

"I'm upset we didn't win," Sounders FC midfielder Freddie Ljundberg said. "We started well and had a great chance with Fredy in the first half. Maybe on the first goal we could've done a little better on the through ball that came in, and stuff like that, but that's how it is."